Does Your Business Need a Mobile App?
Despite the growing popularity of mobile apps, you need to know that not all businesses will benefit from using them. So, while a mobile app can help expose your brand to a wider market, foster deeper user engagement, and keep your business on top of people’s minds, it is simply not the all-around solution for all your business needs. For all you know, it may not even be a good fit for your business type.
Do You Really Need a Native App for Your Business?
How do you know if your business will benefit from using a mobile app? Here are some indicators that may help you decide whether developing an app will do your business a lot of good or if you stand to get better results by having a mobile website instead.
Target customers’ preference. According to a study conducted by MDG Advertising, savvy mobile users who are out to shop, search the ‘net or entertain themselves prefer to use mobile websites over native apps.
The nature of your business. Don’t fall into the trap of creating an app just for the sake of creating one since this can seriously hurt your business. If you don’t have a business model that lends itself well to an app, don’t force the issue. You don’t want to invest a huge chunk of your marketing budget just to disappoint all your existing and potential customers.
Keep in mind that restaurants and companies in the health and beauty industry are among the types of businesses that do well with a mobile site. Popular brand names, on the other hand, do better by using a native app.
Your marketing budget. Native apps are considerably more expensive as compared to mobile websites. And unlike mobile websites which work perfectly well across all platforms, you may need to develop a separate app for different target devices. It is also a lot simpler to maintain and even tweak an existing mobile website to add new features. With a native app, you don’t have the luxury of enjoying the same freedom. You need to request permission or navigate through an approval process before you can incorporate any changes and/or updates on your app.?
Considering the fact that more than half of the American population now have their own smartphones and that the sales of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets continue to rise, you really need to consider establishing a mobile presence. For best results, use these indicators to determine whether you will be better off by using an app or a mobile website and you will surely get it right.
